A Story a Day 

Every day throughout the week, we told a different story about home visiting’s impact, bringing everyone along on the journey into the lives of the Parents as Teachers family! For example,  Mel shared about the way that home visiting helped her and her family navigate the ups and downs of military deployment. 

Home Visiting Champions 

As part of the celebration, five family support professionals across the country were selected for special recognition by the Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals. These Home Visitors of the Year were chosen from nominations across home visiting models, and we are thrilled to celebrate two Parents as Teachers parent educators among the honorees.

In the two decades that Wendy Welch of Idaho Falls, Idaho, has spent in home visiting, she’s found inspiration in the people and the progress. 

“As a home visitor I am inspired every day by how parents show up- they are doing the best they can, often in very trying circumstances,” she said. ”One of the most thrilling parts of being a home visitor is sharing in the “a-ha” moments that happen on a home visit when parents look at me with pure joy as a child accomplishes something that they have been working on together.” 

Read more about Wendy’s story here. 

Uplifting fathers in his community in a meaningful way gives Mario Drain of Greenfield, WI, motivation in his role. 

“The thing that inspires me to keep going are the fathers that I serve,” Mario said. “They are the ones who truly deserve the recognition! They are the ones changing the narrative and removing the negative connotations associated with fatherhood.” 

Read more about Mario’s story here.